Broom-moistener.



N0. 685,)0. Patented Oct. 22, I90l.

M. M.-CATL| N.

BROOM mmsntusn.

Applicnticm filed. May 11, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MINNIE M. OATLIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BROOM-MOISTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,100, dated October 22, 1901.

Application filed May 11, 1901. Serial No. 59,818. (No modem To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MINNIE M. CATLIN", a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Broom- Moisteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to broom-moisteners; and the objects of the same are to provide a simple and convenient device to be applied to a broom near the ends of the straws for moistening the broom to settle the dust in sweeping carpets or floors and to also bridle the broom when necessary for sweeping dusty carpets. In a device of this kind it is very desirable to have the moistener readily detachable from the broom to permit the same to be cleansed and moistened. It is also desirable to have the device exert a slight pressure upon the straws to serve as a bridlefor sweeping certain kinds of carpets. With these ends in view I have provided a simple and economical device consisting of a sponge having a binding at its upper edge, said moistener adapted to encircle a broom near the ends of the straws and to moisten the straws as the broom is flexed in sweeping.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a broom-head having a moistener applied thereto, said moistener being made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a slightly-modified form of my invention. Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken through one portion of the moistener, and Fig. 4 is a view of a detail.

In said drawings the numeral 1 designates an ordinary broom-head.

My moistening device consists of a fabric binding 2, having a sponge or a number of small pieces of sponge secured by stitching or other similar means to said binding at its lower edge.

In order that the moistener may be readily applied to and removed from the broom, I

may utilize an ordinary hook and eye or similar fastening 3 4 at the terminal ends of the moistener, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The numeral 5 designates the sponge.

As shown in Fig. 2, my device consists of a continuous circle or ring, the tape or binding 2 having small sections of' elastic or webbing 3 secured at difierent points to the tape to render the device somewhat elastic in order that the device may serve as a bridle to confine the flexible ends of the broomstraws and render them sufliciently stiff for sweeping certain kinds of carpets and to permit the device to be readily removed from the broom by slipping the moistener over the ends of the straws.

In use my device may be dipped in Water and applied to the broom, as shown in Fig. 1, or the device may be applied to the broom and the end of the broom dipped in a bucket of water until the sponge becomes saturated. In sweeping the carpet or floor a small quantity of water will constantly drip from the sponge to the lower ends of the broom-straws, thus laying the dust and assisting in cleaning the floor.

When it is found desirable to apply a liquid preparation for destroying moths or other insects, my device will be found especially desirable.

Fromthe foregoing it will be obvious that a broom-moistener made in accordance with my invention can be produced at a slight cost and be readily applied to a broom and removed therefrom at will and that the device will serve efficiently as a moistener and bridle.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A moistener and bridle for brooms com prising a binding or tape having a sponge secured to one of its edges and fastening means for connecting the ends of the binding, sub stantially as described.

2. A combined moistener and bridle for brooms consisting of a binding having elastic sections therein, fastening means for the ends of said binding, and sections of sponge" secured to one edge of said binding and elastic sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MINNIE M. GATLIN.

Witnesses: I

ELsIE CATLIN, HERBERT CATLIN. 

